


Inferno

by elvhxn



Category: Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Blood Magic, But not at first, Canon-Typical Violence, Mage Trevelyan (Dragon Age), Multi, Obsessive Behavior, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, content that could be triggering but im not really sure, eventual Solas/Trevelyan, im not good at the tagging system lol
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-05
Updated: 2020-05-21
Packaged: 2021-03-03 02:27:33
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,839
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24027367
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/elvhxn/pseuds/elvhxn
Summary: Inferno - noun. a large fire that is dangerously out of control.-The story of Adrienne Trevelyan, how she became the Inquisitor, and how a love doomed from the start blossomed.
Relationships: Solas/Female Trevelyan
Comments: 3
Kudos: 10





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hi! This is my first DA fic, and the first fic I've written in a long time. I also had no one beta this, so please ignore any spelling errors lol also let me know what you think! Please! :)

The day started like any other. 

Adrienne awoke to the sound of the morning bells chiming. She let out a groan, burying her face into the warmth next to her. 

The bells chimed again. 

That was when the warmth - in the shape of her lover - prodded her side with a bony elbow. Adrienne huffed. Margot laughed. “That was the second bell, Ren. We have to get up or Lydia will have both our heads.” 

“Would that be so bad?” Adrienne lifted her head up, blearily meeting Margot’s welcoming blue eyes. A pang of something similar to jealousy shot through her at the sight of Margot’s immaculate midnight black hair, falling in soft waves around her face. Adrienne would never experience the luxury of awakening as a goddess - her own hair was a nuisance, half formed ringlets that insisted on tangling no matter how hard she tried to stop it. “Besides, you’re the one that insisted on going a fourth round, so I should really blame you for this.” 

Margot waggled her dark brows mischievously. “Oh? And who was the one putting her hand down my-“ 

“Hush!” Adrienne giggled, shoving Margot playfully but the other woman nearly fell off of the small bed. 

“Are you trying to kill me?” Margot laughed, pushing her back with less force. “I should report you to the Knight-Commander.” 

Adrienne couldn’t stop the disgusted expression that soon followed that statement even if she tried. “Can we please not talk about him? He makes me so uncomfortable. Ever since my Harrowing he-“ 

“I know, I know.” Margot placed a warm hand against her cheek, thumb rubbing gently across her cheekbone. “I’m sorry, love. I won’t bring him up again I promise. Now come on, we’re going to be late!” 

Margot leapt out of the bed with the assistance of a Fade Step. Always a show off even at an ungodly hour. 

Together they quickly got ready for the day. Stripping off their nightgowns and putting on their day robes. Adrienne couldn’t help but watch as Margot gracefully gathered her dark hair up into a tight bun. Slender and pale fingers tucking strays in with practiced efficiency. 

Margot always held this quiet gracefulness about her. The way she stood, how she walked, her writing, even her spell work. That was something Adrienne had always admired about her, the way she made everything appear effortless. Of course with all of the manner lessons her mother had her take, she knew how to walk and talk like a proper lady. But it had never came naturally to her the way it seemed to with Margot. Adrienne had to fight her slouch for years, practice sitting with her ankles crossed. Margot made it look as easy as breathing. Adrienne thinks that this is probably why she was so attracted to her initially - and still is. Because of the way they were complete and total opposites. 

Adrienne mused at all the things that made them different as she began to plait her own hair. Margot favored ice magic, while Adrienne always held an affinity for fire. Margot found it easy to talk to everyone, while it took Adrienne time to open up to someone new. They truly were two sides of the same coin. And Adrienne wouldn’t have it any other way. 

“My love, you’re daydreaming again.” Margot shot her a not so seriously chastising look, their gazes meeting through the mirror Margot sat at. 

Adrienne felt her cheeks grow hot. She had a terrible habit of getting lost in her own thoughts. “Oh, I’m sorry. Did you say something?” 

Margot smiled softly, twisting around in the chair to look at her directly. “I said, did you think anymore of what I asked you last night?” 

“Oh, I um...” Adrienne let the words falter and hang in the air. Last night. 

Last night was their one year anniversary. Margot had swiped some extra sweets from the kitchen, and Adrienne had one of her Templar friends grab her a bottle of wine from the cellar. They spent the night sharing memories, laughing, peppering kisses against each other’s cheeks. And slightly inebriated. 

But as they laid there, drifting between being awake and asleep, Margot had turned to her. “Run away with me.” She whispered. 

Adrienne had stiffened. Margot had never seemed the type to want to try an escape maneuver. So the words were a bit of a shock. “What?” 

Margot sat up then. “I said run away with me. Ren, I know you’ve heard the rumors. The Circles will fall sooner than later. We should leave while we can.” 

“And go where?” Adrienne had bit back, sitting up as well, sad that their romantic evening had turned into well...this. “The Templars are cracking down on apostates. You saw what they did to that one girl they brought in. From Kirkwall?” 

Adrienne shuddered to think about it. The girl survived Kirkwall. And yet because she put up such a fuss of being forced into Ostwick, nearly to the point of squabbling with her fellow mages, the Knight-Commander had decided to turn her Tranquil. All of her fighting, and for what? To walk around their halls aimless and empty. 

“Yes, I know.” Margot sighed, clasping her hands together. “I just...I don’t know. I want to have a life with you. I want us to be free.” 

“Sweetheart, I want to be with you too. But if we get caught? That’s it. Game over. They’ll either throw us in the dungeon or make us tranquil. And I...” Her lip trembled. “I don’t want to live in a world without you.” 

Margot’s warm hands wrapped around her own. “Nor I, you. Why don’t you think about it though? And we can discuss it in the morning.” 

“Ok.” She had said. 

But now here she was, having no idea what she really wanted - especially with Margot looking at her so expectantly. 

It really was such a huge risk to try to leave the Circle. Not impossible. But risky. Especially with the events in Kirkwall still so fresh in everyone’s minds. And the whispers among Circles that a full fledged rebellion was coming. That freedom was coming. But at what cost?

It made the Templars antsy, fidgety. And Adrienne didn’t particularly like it when the people tasked with possibly killing them were a bit jumpy with their sword hand. 

“Adrienne?” Margot said her name a little softer, a little kinder. 

She sighed, knowing that her answer all along had been whatever involved living a life with Margot. And that meant leaving. “Ok. We’ll do it tonight.” 

“Tonight!” Margot clapped and smiled so brightly before pressing her lips fiercely to Adrienne’s. “Tonight, my love. We’ll discuss specifics right after dinner.” 

“That sounds good.” Adrienne beamed, a ball of excitement and dread bubbling up inside her stomach. They had to at least try. She honestly couldn’t imagine living until Lydia’s age in the Tower. Lydia...why did the senior enchanter’s name sound so important. “Oh sweet Andraste, Margot we’re going to be late!” 

Giggling like school girls, the two raced down the hall and to the main staircase. Maybe by Andraste’s mercy they would make it to Lydia’s office in time for their lecture. 

* * *

The day had passed quickly, and for the entirety of it Adrienne felt butterflies dance in her stomach. She had never done anything that could be considered as rule-breaking, even as a child. Her mother had made sure to work that particular kink out of her personality at a young age. “ _Trevelyan ladies do not act like that, Adrienne_.” She would drill into her day and night. Eventually Adrienne got tired of hearing it, and decided just listening to whatever request her mother made would be much easier. For herself, and for her liver, once she was old enough to have wine at the dinner table. 

But along with the excitement at the prospect of leaving the Circle, came the fear - the on edge feeling she couldn’t shake. She felt as if the Templar’s gazes were sharper as she passed them in the hall. And every time she did, she would wonder, have we been found out? Are they going to take me away now? 

Thankfully, it never happened. 

Adrienne and Margot had taken the time to pack during their seperate free hours - making sure to only take the essentials. Margot was good friends with the kitchen staff, and easily swiped an extra round of cheese and old loaf of bread. Adrienne carried some extra clothes for them, knowing that the Free Marches weather in the fall was always unpredictable. And no one wanted to sleep in soggy clothes. 

Finally though, it was time for dinner and their escape was that much closer. 

The two found themselves easily in the large mess hall, meeting in the same spot they did everyday. Adrienne’s heart leaped from her chest at the sight of Margot, who looked equally as pleased upon seeing her. 

Margot laced her fingers with hers. “Are you excited?”

Adrienne ripped a piece of bread between her fingers, kneading it into a small ball. “I’m a little nervous.” 

“Don’t be.” Margot brought their linked hands up to her face, pressing a soft kiss against the back of Adrienne’s palm. “We’ve got each other.” 

Adrienne couldn’t help but smile at that, and opened her mouth to respond when a sudden hush fell over the hall. And then a booming voice broke the silence. 

“Everyone,” quickly she found the source of the voice. The Knight-Commander, standing in the center of the hall. The Knight-Captain and Knight-Lieutenant flanking his sides. “Please, quietly and calmly return to your quarters. We are placing the Circle on lockdown, temporarily.”

That was the wrong thing to say. The hall erupted in hushed whispers, panic suddenly rising in the air. She didn’t miss the way the Templar’s hands fell to their swords. Her own grip on Margot’s hand tightened. 

“Temporarily!” He repeated, he looked apologetic at least. “There has been a grave crime committed. And we will see this person brought to justice.” 

“What crime?” Someone in the crowd shouts. “Blood magic? This is all a ruse!” 

“Quiet!” His voice booms again, and thankfully everyone listens. “We do not think blood magic was involved. The crime however, is the murder of Senior Enchanter Lydia. But do not worry, we will find the person or persons responsible. So please, cooperate with us and our lives will go back to normal as soon as possible. Thank you.” 

And with that, the three of them left, and table by table everyone was escorted back to their floors. The two templars stationed outside of their shared room were thankfully ones they were familiar with. It brought Adrienne a little bit of peace to the sudden chaos that seemed to be raging all around her. 

Margot, as always, seemed to be as cool as ever. Adrienne often wondered how good she would be at cards, or even The Game. She always seemed to have an even head on her shoulders. While Adrienne couldn’t stop her hands from shaking. 

Lydia was dead, and it felt as if their entire world was ending. It would be so easy for the Templars to call for an Annulment. 

“Adrienne love, we have to unpack all of the clothes. Stealing food is minor, but looking like we were about to run is another.” Margot’s voice soothed her instantly, and for the moment Adrienne let herself focus solely on putting their clothes away as quickly as she could. Margot unwrapped the food, and even ate some of it - probably to make it look as if they had always had it. 

No sooner had they gotten everything back to normal, was their door suddenly being opened. 

And in stepped the Knight-Commander, followed by the Captain and the Lieutenant again. Adrienne had only been around the Knight-Commander for an extended period of time once before - and that had been her Harrowing. She never thought she could feel even more unnerved in his presence than she did nearly ten years ago. Every other encounter with him, mainly in passing, had been uncomfortable as well. But it wasn’t as if he did anything untoward her, he would always smile. But Adrienne couldn’t help but feel as if that smile belonged more to a wolf encircling a sheep. 

And now here he was, smiling at her again. It made her stomach twist and knot. She wondered briefly if throwing up would be enough of a distraction for the Templars to just leave them alone. “Trevelyan and Smith, stand against the wall please. We have to search everyone’s quarters.” 

Adrienne followed Margot to the far left wall, pressing her back hard against the cold stone. Anything to anchor her while her adrenaline skyrocketed. The Captain and the Lieutenant began to search the room, overturning their chest of drawers and even checking under their mattresses for anything incriminating. All the while, the Knight Commander kept his sharp golden eyes on her. Why? And he was smiling. She wanted to wipe it off of his face with her own fist. 

“Nothing to see, sir.” Grunted the Knight Captain as he tossed Adrienne’s pillow carelessly to the ground. “Looks like just some food swiping. Which can be dealt with later-” 

“Wait, Commander, I have something!” All eyes in the room instantly went to the Lieutenant, who had her upper body shoved underneath Margot’s bed. She crawled out from beneath it, face hard. “This was shoved deep into the mattress. Would’ve missed it if I hadn’t smelled it.” In her hand was a dagger. A bloody one. 

“Chain her, and throw her in the dungeons.” the knight-commander barked, pointing a long finger at Margot. “We’ll take Trevelyan to interrogate. The accomplices always crack first.” 

The following moments seemed to blur. The next thing Adrienne knew was the sensation of strong hands clamping down hard on her upper arms. And she watched helplessly as the Captain and Lieutenant easily took Margot down. Margot struggled, kicking and flailing - she was fighting as hard as she could. 

“I didn’t _do_ this! Stop! _Please_!” She screamed so loudly that Adrienne’s ears ringed. “Adrienne you have to believe me!” 

“I believe you! Margot I-” She never got to finish, the Knight-Commander hitting her hard in the back of her skull. 

Darkness welcomed her with open arms. 

  
  
  



	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Adrienne and Margot's plans to escape are quickly unraveled. 
> 
> Quick Warning: There is a lot of violence in this chapter, and a lot of creepiness/uncomfortable things done by our antagonist. Please read with caution!

Adrienne blinked awake, her head pounding as her eyes adjusted to the light. It took a moment to remember what had happened - Margot. They took Margot - and then she jolted upright. Glancing around the room, she took in her surroundings. It appeared to be an office of some sort. Thick books wrapped around the walls, and a single circular window let in the sunlight from the outside world. A desk sat directly in front of her, made out of some dark wood - an intricate floral design carved into it. On the desk were more books, a quill, and several stacks of papers. She began to wonder just whose office this was, but then her eyes fell on the banner hanging from one corner. It was pure white, with the symbol of the templars woven into it in a bright crimson silk. 

This room belonged to the Knight Commander, it had to. 

With a pounding heart, she tried to rise from the chair she had been seated in, but her wrists and ankles met resistance as the cold chains bit into her flesh. Maker be damned. She wasn’t getting out of it easily, was she? 

Her mind whirled with the different scenarios, only for her train of thought to be broken by the sound of a door being opened from behind her. She stilled instantly, holding her breath as whoever it was stepped into the room. She did not miss the sound of a heavy lock sliding into place. She wanted to cry, she wanted to scream, as the ever growing fear clawed at her throat. The thumping of heavy boots upon wood filled the silence. And then he stood before her. 

The Knight Commander was a towering, middle-aged man. Years of Templar training and hunting down apostates made him muscular, but none of the bulkiness one would expect to see. Even at an older age, he was lean and sturdy - you had to be quick to dodge a fireball flying at your face. His face upon first glance was a kind one - and even a handsome one, Adrienne would admit. A square jaw, a straight and thin nose dotted with a few freckles. His hair was a deep wheat color with a few strands of gray mixed in, cropped at his chin. She wondered briefly what he looked like when he was younger. 

“Ah, I see you’re awake. I trust you slept well?” his voice could easily be registered as warm and inviting - the familiar lilt of the Ostwick accent. But she knew he was anything but. The Knight Commander’s appearance made him seem friendly, but everything about his mere presence screamed danger. 

Adrienne took a shuddering breath. “Knight-Commander, I-” 

“Please,” he chuckled. Why was he acting so light hearted? Wasn’t this an interrogation? “Call me Gerard.” 

Adrienne tried to push her confusion of the matter down. “G-Gerard, I...Margot couldn’t have...we didn’t-” 

“Adrienne,” he reached out and placed a gloved hand upon her own. “You have nothing to fear from me. We’re just talking, you and I. As friends.” 

She swallowed hard, blinking up at him. She didn’t like how close he was. “With all due respect Knight - Gerard, I have everything to fear from you.” 

“Is it because of the chains? I only had to do that so my men wouldn’t question it. And so you wouldn’t run away. We can’t have that, can we?’

Adrienne’s heart began to thunder in her chest, in her ears. “What?” 

He chuckled again, the way a parent would their child. “I knew it would be confusing, at first. But I couldn’t just let the opportunity for the two of us to talk slip by. It was so easy to leave the knife in your room, I only got lucky that it was under Margot’s bed and not yours. A shame about Lydia though. She was one of the good ones.” 

By now Adrienne’s head was spinning. Did he...murder Lydia? And...plant the knife in their room...just to talk to her? She had to be dreaming. She had to wake up, now! She had to - 

“Shh, shh don’t cry, love.” Adrienne hadn’t even realized she was crying, and jolted when his gloved hands reached up to wipe the tears away. 

Jerking her head away from his grasp, she tried once more to free herself. Rage suddenly burned hot inside her veins, she could feel her magic begging to be set loose at her fingertips. She was going to kill him. Lydia deserved vengeance. “You sick bastard! Why did you do it?! Why kill Lydia?!”

“Lydia attacked me!” He snarled, one hand moving to squeeze her jaw - making sure she kept eye contact with him. He must have seen the sparks forming in her fists, because soon she felt her mana seeping out of her. Damn Templars. “I told her of my plans for us, and she - “

“Plans?” Adrienne barked a laugh. “Us? You’re delusional.”

The next thing she knew was the feeling of his lips crushing down on her own. Her head thumped against the back of the chair; she tried to twist her head away, but his hand was still locking her into place. Her head felt too light, her bones were like jelly from having her mana stripped away and now this. He finally pulled away, and she gasped for air. His face was softer, almost tender. “Adrienne, I love you.” 

“This isn’t love.” and with that, she spat in his face. 

The response was her world shifting, and a hard crack against her cheek. 

She closed her eyes, taking in a few shuddering breaths to control herself. She wished she wasn’t chained. She wished he wasn’t a bloody templar so that she could set his ass on fire. 

“Your fire, love, is what I admire about you. But I will not tolerate disrespect.” He hissed, wiping her saliva off his face. 

She decided not to give him the honor of a response, and simply glared up at him. 

He smirked then, the old kind-looking gentleman from before was completely gone. “I know what you need.” He walked around to behind his desk, reaching under it and producing a glass and a bottle of dark red wine. “This is Antivan, a sweet blend. Your mother told me you liked sweet wines.” 

“My mother?” Adrienne whispered, a pit growing into the pit of her stomach. 

“Yes,” he replied, beginning to pour the wine into the glass. “I write to her fairly regularly. She worries for you, since you make no attempt to write to her yourself.” 

“If you knew anything about my relationship with my mother, you would know why I do not speak with her.” Adrienne snapped back. 

“Oh right, she told me. She treated you very harshly as a child. But all mothers have favorites, and she wants to apologize if you give her the chance.” 

“Why are you telling me this?” 

He finally looks back up to her with those golden eyes. “Leverage, love. I have the coin, and it would be so easy to hire a mercenary or two to visit the Trevelyan estate.” 

Everything seemed to stop then. “You’re blackmailing me?! On top of everything else? Why even kill Lydia -” 

“Lydia wasn’t going to let it go. She said she was going to contact the mages at the Spire, and I - well. The templars needed a reason for an Annulment anyway, and a rogue mage that kills her own mentor? The Ostwick Chantry would have to listen to me then.” 

“You wouldn’t!” Adrienne shrieked. “Please, don’t kill them all -”

“I’m afraid it’s not up to you, Adrienne.” She watched as he reached into a drawer and retrieved a small vial of white powder. “The mages have been in need of a power check for years. After Kirkwall, they should have slaughtered every remaining Circle in Thedas. But you?” He opened the cork, and poured the entire vial into the wine. “You’re not like the rest. You don’t scramble for power, or whine, or anything else those other ingrates do. I knew after I witnessed your Harrowing that you were something special. So I’ve watched you all these years, asking for some of my men to get close to you. And through them, I’ve learned all about you. And now you’re mine. Once this is over,” He stood again, beginning his slow ascent toward her, the wine in hand. “I’ll come back and get you, and we’ll go start a new life somewhere. Together.”

“Don’t do this -”

He shoved the glass in front of Adrienne, the brim touching her lips. “Drink.”

She pursed her lips tightly, locking her jaw. She would not go so easily under his will. 

Gerard sighed exasperatedly, “Always the hard way, with you.” His other hand shot up and pinched down hard on her nose. She struggled, trying to twist away but eventually her lungs won the war and she opened her mouth wide to catch her breath. Immediately he was pouring the wine down her throat. She coughed as it did, trying to make sure she didn’t choke in the process. The alcohol burned, and whatever sleeping elixir he had put inside of it left a metallic taste on her tongue. 

She was already feeling the effects of it. Everything felt slow and heavy, even her thoughts were having difficulty forming. His lips fell to hers again, and she couldn’t even move away. 

His form before her became blurry, and it was hard to keep her eyes open. A hand gently tucked a stray lock behind her ear, the way Margot would. “You’ll learn to love me, as I love you. In time. Sweet dreams, beloved.” 

And with that, the darkness engulfed her once more. 

* * *

When Adrienne woke again, she had the bitter taste of metal in her mouth. Her limbs still felt heavy, and to form a thought was like wading through a shallow pool - difficult and equally frustrating. However, the present matter at hand lit a fire inside of her. She had to get out. She had to stop this before it was too late. But what if it was already too late? What if he had succeeded in slaughtering everyone in the entire Circle? 

It didn’t matter, she couldn’t dwell on the “what if’s”. She had to get out. She had to see Margot. If Margot was even....

With renewed focus Adrienne called forth a bright burst of flame into her palms. Relief flooded thorugh her veins - her mana may have been depleted, but at least she could cast a simple fire spell. She tried to melt away the locks around her wrists, instead they glowed brightly with a white rune and didn’t even singe. Of course. Of course the Templars would have enchanted chains in the stupid Circle tower. 

Then a low creak from behind her broke the silence. Adrienne stilled, dousing the flames immediately. Was he already returning? She tried to mentally steel herself to face him again - but her heart hammered loudly in her chest.”Who’s..who’s there?” she called with a shaky voice. 

“Adrienne?” 

Instantly Adrienne was trying to twist herself around in the chair, “Margot?!” 

The next thing she knew was that Margot was suddenly by her side. Tears were streaming down the other woman’s face, Adrienne’s eyes lingered on the blood dripping down her temple from somewhere in her dark hair. “Ren, you’re alright!” Margot’s hands were then on her own face, her lips following soon after as they pressed against Adrienne’s forehead. 

“How are you - didn’t they lock you away?” 

Margot’s mouth straightened into a hard line. If it were under different circumstances, Adrienne would’ve kissed it away. “The...Knight Commander called for an Annulment. But not all of the Templar’s agreed with him. One came and got me out, but he’s…nevermind. Let’s get you out of these, hm?” 

“They’re enchanted.” Adrienne sighed. “You should just get yourself out of here, Margot please! You don’t have to do this for me-” 

Margot rolled her eyes before turning to the large desk. She crossed behind it, beginning to rummage through the drawers. “Ren, love, now is not the time for your stupid self-sacrificing heroics. I’m not leaving you. Besides,” Margot lifted up her hand, something small and silver tinkled within her grasp. “I have the key.” 

“Thank the bloody Maker.” 

Margot made quick work of her getting Adrienne out of the shackles, and as soon as she was free Adrienne was wrapping her arms around her. 

“Margot, I-” she swallowed hard, fighting tears. “I thought you were dead.” 

“I’m not, love. I’m not going anywhere, I promise.” 

“He, the Knight Commander, he...he planted the knife. He killed Lydia. He wanted to…” Adrienne’s hands shook as she recalled his rant to her. “He wants me. And he’s going to do anything he can to get me. Margot, I’m scared. I can’t lose you.” 

When she pulled away, Margot’s hands came up to rest on either side of her face before she rested her forehead against Adrienne’s. “Adrienne, look at me.” Adrienne’s eyes flickered up to Margot’s fierce blue ones. “He is not going to have you. Ok? He will never have you. I won’t let him touch you.” 

Adrienne’s heart swelled at the sheer amount of love behind Margot’s words. She choked back a sob, smiling at her lover. “I won’t let him touch you either. I love you.” 

“I love you too.” 

* * *

The Circle was eerily silent as Adrienne and Margot carefully navigated it’s halls. The majority of the slaughter was already finished, and apparently nearly half of the stationed Templars left when the Annulment was called - not wanting to assist in innocent bloodshed, but also not wanting to raise swords against their brothers and sisters in arms. Funny, Adrienne thinks, how they still have innocent blood on their hands because they left severely outnumbered mages to fend for themselves. 

Some managed to flee, Margot had told her. But most weren’t as lucky. 

They had rounded a corner a little too hastily, and ran right into a templar. He seemed just as shocked at seeing two mages up and walking around. Without question, he drew his blade and before Adrienne could react Margot was pulling out a small dagger of her own. Margot moved quickly, and drove it deep into the man’s side - the small space above the hip where the chest plate stops. He screamed, but by then she’d already pulled the knife out and was driving it into his skull. The body fell unceremoniously to the ground. 

Adrienne stood above it with mouth agape, Margot simply wiped the blood off of the knife with her sleeve. “Where did you learn how to do that?” 

Margot shrugged. “I grew up in Kirkwall. You learn how to defend yourself without magic, quickly.” 

Adrienne couldn’t find it in her to push for more details. Besides, Margot was already dragging the body into a nearby empty room. They had managed to make it to the main floor without much incident, but Adrienne couldn’t stop the gnawing dread in her stomach. Everytime they turned another corner or opened a door, she was afraid that he would be there. 

“Love,” Margot’s hand landed on above her elbow, squeezing gently. “You’re lost in thought again.” 

“Sorry,” Adrienne breathed. “I-”

“It’s alright.” Margot’s hand moved to rest at her lower back as they began moving again. “Let’s keep going. We’re almost at the hole.” 

Adrienne felt her brows shoot up. “The hole?”

“A few rooms down, near the first year library. When the first group escaped, they blew an enormous hole in the wall and it led directly outside and to the docks. All of the boats might be gone, but we can swim across.” 

“Swim across?” Adrienne stopped then. “The sea is too harsh, there’s no way we can-”

“It might be our only choice, Ren.” was Margot’s reply, and she didn’t argue it. 

As they grew closer to the hole, the amount of bodies littering the hallways grew - mage and templar alike. The majority of the fighting must have happened here, Adrienne realized. Her mind began to wander to the younger apprentices and their fates, but she stopped that particular train of thought before it could go much further. 

When they rounded the final corner and stepped into the First Year Library, they were hit with the stench of lyrium and death. So many bodies lay in heaps on the ground, Adrienne tried not to look at any of their faces - afraid to see someone she knew. A soft breeze fanned across Adrienne’s face, and she could taste the salt in the air from the ocean. Then she saw it, the large gaping hole in the far wall, the first stirrings of morning light bleeding into the room. Freedom had never been so close. 

“There you are, beloved.” 

And suddenly freedom had never felt so far away. 

Gerard emerged from the shadows. A sword bathed in blood held loosely at his side, and a terrifying grin etched into his features. Adrienne trembled at the sight of him - whether in rage or fear, or both, she could not tell. 

Margot stood tall and unwavering beside her, her own dagger in hand. “Don’t come any closer.” She snarled at the older man. 

Gerard raised his brows in surprise. “Aren’t you supposed to be locked away? Hm, no matter.” Then his glinting eyes were turning to Adrienne. “Don’t think you will go unpunished for this, beloved. I will deal with you later, but first let me send this wretch to the Void.” In one swift motion, he flicked the blood from his blade and then readied himself for an attack. 

Adrienne lunged forward, unsure of what exactly she would do but only driven with the need to protect Margot. But then she watched, as if time slowed, as Margot took her blade and drove it into her own forearm. 

Adrienne screamed from the shock of the action, but Margot seemed unphased as the blood poured from the wound. Distantly, she heard Gerard scream something about “maleficarum”. Margot removed the blade, and immediately Adrienne felt the air in the room shift. The Veil was already weakened from so much death, but blood magic could threaten to create a tear in it’s very fabric. Her eyes flickered around the room, searching for a tear or for a sign of a demon, but there was none. 

Only Margot’s own blood as it began to swirl around her in a disturbingly beautiful display, her eyes turning into black pits as the magic grew stronger. 

Gerard fell to his knees, clawing at his throat as his face began to turn a bright red and then purple. Margot moved closer to him at her own pace, she was savoring his death. 

Adrienne moved to help her, but then an iron clad arm was wrapping around her waist from behind. Maker be damned, the other Templars must have found them or it could’ve been a trap all along. The familiar scent of lyrium overpowered her senses, and then she felt all of the strength sap out of her as a Smite hit her hard and fast. She must have yelled in the struggle, because suddenly Margot’s gaze was snapping towards her. 

Adrienne heard the sickening sound of bones grinding together, and then a loud snap - the Templar holding her suddenly released her and fell to the ground. 

Margot was still looking at her with those unnatural black eyes, probably to make sure Adrienne was fine. But Adrienne had broken her concentration, and in the corner of her eye she saw movement. 

“Look out!” Adrienne screamed, but it was too late. 

Gerard had recovered faster than anticipated, and moved too quickly for Margot to react. He drove the sword deep into her stomach in one swift motion. 

And suddenly it all stopped. The blood that was swirling around Margot seconds ago fell and splattered onto the floor, and then Margot’s body went limp. 

“NO!” Adrienne screeched, unable to do anything but watch as Gerard unceremoniously removed her body from the blade, letting it fall in an unnaturally shaped heap on the floor. When Margot’s body fell, Adrienne fell to her knees, uncaring of the pain shooting up her thighs at the action. A pitiful wail bubbled up out of her throat, and then turned into a full sob. Some part of her begging her to wake up from this nightmare. 

She had failed. She promised Margot that she would protect her, too. And instead she was dead. She was dead.

Somehow she had ended up beside Margot’s cold body. Cradling her head gently, Adrienne wiped the blood away from Margot’s face as best as she could. With shaking hands, she closed Margot’s eyes and folded her hands over her chest. Adrienne had never considered herself religious, but whispered to the Maker or whoever was listening to please let Margot know peace. To let her be happy. That’s all Adrienne had wanted. 

“Why do you waste your tears for a maleficarum, beloved?” his voice echoed softly from behind her. 

“Why?” Adrienne began to tremble again, but this time she knew it was because of the pure, unadulterated rage burning within her. Her eyes then landed on the bloodied knife Margot had been using, sitting directly between her and Margot. Without thinking, her hand shot out and gripped the handle tightly. She was still immensely weak from the Smite, but she would do this for Margot. Twisting her body as quickly as she could, Adrienne remembered the way Margot had killed the other templar. “Because I loved her!” 

With a yell she drove the knife as deep as she could into his hip. Gerard grunted, but stumbled and fell back onto his back. Adrienne took the opportunity to scramble on top of him, and drive the blade twice into his other hip - she thought she might've hit bone with how shrill he screamed the second time. 

“Adrienne, please!” He gasped, gripping the blade with his own hands to try to stop her. 

She struggled to even her breathing, the adrenaline fading. She wasn’t a killer, what was she doing? Her grip on the knife loosened from the sweat, and Gerard took the chance to try to overpower her - and he did, retching the knife out of her grip. Then suddenly the air was leaving her lungs as her back collided with the floor, and now he was on top of her. 

She felt nauseous, she shouldn’t have hesitated. She should’ve killed him when she had the chance. Weakly, she tried to push him off of her, but he quickly gathered both wrists in one hand, pinning them above her head. In his other hand, he brandished the knife. 

“You’ve been very naughty, beloved. I think it's time for your punishment. But don't worry, I'll forgive you.” 

The sting of the blade came quickly after, starting at the juncture where her cheekbone and ear met. Adrienne cried out, trying desperately to move away from it, but his hand released her wrists and came down to dig into her chin to keep her head still. Hot tears streamed down her face as she tried to pry his hands away from her, but he was too strong. The blade continued its unwavering trail down the hollow of her cheek, finally stopping an inch away from her mouth. 

“There,” he said, leaning back to admire his work. “Now you’ll carry a piece of me, wherever you go, beloved.” 

Adrienne couldn’t do anything but sob in response. Never had she felt so broken, so alone. So empty. Feeling light headed from the adrenaline, she let her head lull to the side. She was met with the sight of Margot’s body. And then the realization for her escape hit her. 

Adrienne had never viewed blood magic in itself as evil. Only when one was under the influence or cohorted with demons. But she was innately terrified of it and of using it, probably residual from her strict Andrastian upbringing. But it was a tool. The Champion of Kirkwall had even used it, and so had her lover Merrill. Margot had used it. Why shouldn’t she? 

The blood on her cheek was just beginning to coagulate in the open air, but the wound was still open. She could still feel the blood call to her, waiting. Closing her eyes, she focused on the feeling of the magic pulsing through her veins, and then she could feel him. When she opened her eyes again, it was as if she was seeing everything for the first time. She could see Gerard so clearly, especially the magic in the blood pooling at his hips. And then she followed it up to his mind, and soon he was hers. 

“Adrienne, your eyes -” he stuttered out, before she had taken it over completely - pushing her will onto his. 

She briefly wondered how terrifying she looked, bloody and black eyed beneath him. “Give me the blade.” His hands shook as he did. Adrienne set it against the hollow of his cheek, and then gave him a matching cut on the opposite side. “Now, get up.” 

He stood, carefully removing himself from her, and she followed suit. But Adrienne was weak, and she was losing the strength to hold him fast. “Adrienne,” he hissed, head shaking as her leash loosened. “What do you think you’re doing?” 

Adrienne snapped his leash back into place. She wanted to kill him. She stood directly in front of him. “I want you to pay.” And with that, she took the knife and jammed into the space above his chestplate, where she knew only leather covered the skin. “I want you to suffer.” She withdrew the knife and drove it in again. “I want you dead!” The final blow was in the juncture where his neck and shoulder met, and finally her hold over him slipped completely. 

Gerard fell to the floor, gasping and grasping at the blood seeping from his neck, the knife still intact. “Adrienne...I will find you. You’re mine!” 

Adrienne sneered down at him. “Good. I’ll be waiting for you, if you live through this.” 

Happily intent to leave him bleeding to death on the floor, Adrienne turned and stumbled towards the hole in the library. The closer she got to it, the warmer the sun felt. She braced herself against the crumbling stone, and in the distance she saw a single boat tied to the pier. 

Freedom was waiting for her, and she would gladly chase it. No matter the cost. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HI! I hope you like this next installment. It feels kinda all over the place, and its a little cliche but I love cliches so. Let me know!

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! I hope you liked it, please feel free to leave any constructive criticism as well, I'd really like to improve my writing when I can.


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